Filter



Aug. 10 1926.

F. a. LOMAX FILTER Filed Jan. 31

, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10 1926. 1,595,344

F. B. LOMAX FILTER 1 Filed Jan. 51, 1924 4 sheets-shed 2 Aug. 10 1926.1,595,344

5 F. B. LOMAX FILTER Filed Jan. 1 1924 4 Shets-Sheet 5 65,5 63/ 427110222 07" 77mm? 5. lair/ax Aug. 10 1926. 1,595,344

F. B. LOMAX- FILTER 7* Filed Jan. 31 ,7 1924 4 Sheets- S fieT4 H-H-i-H-Hu n n u u \u u nu u u n n nuuu u u I II II ll ll ll ll l l II II II llII II II 1| II II II ll II II ll ll ll H II ll ll H II II n u n u n 1| un u u n n u u n u n u u II II u u H I] ll ll ll II [I ll ll H H H II IIII II II ll II II II II ll ll "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" efwwzfor f flaw?31107716190 Patente d A j l k L UNITED STATESJIP'ATENT I FRANK B. LOMAX,OF CHICAGO, ILLHVbIS.

' FILTER.

Application filed .Tanuary 31, 1924.. Serial No. 689,632.

My invention relates to filtration, and more specifically to an improvedand compact apparatus and a superior method of separation;

Among the objects and advantages of the invention may be enumerated theprotection of the filtering elements from shocks; the automaticapportionment of the power of a single pump between the work of drawingin the supply and the work of forcing the material through the filter;and sealing against leakage and the easy detection of leaks.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fi 1 is a side elevation partly in section v .on line 1-1 of Fig. 3 ofone embodiment of apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail section of the filtering unit;

Fig. 3is a section subst 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section of the edge seal; f difi d o a mo eantially on line Fig. 5 is a similar section construction; a

Fig. 6 is a section s' ilar to Fig. 1 of a double filter construction;Fig. 7 is a plan view ofthe honeycomb; Figs. 8 and 9 are detail sectionson lines 88 and 9'9 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail sectionof the honeycomb and both filtrationbarriers.

In the embodiment of apparatus according to the invention selectedforillustration,

c the base 10 carries standards 12 upon which i the lower cup 14ismounted. Supported by this cup is a foraminated metal plate 16 restingon annular flange 18, with its upper surface substantially flush with anouter because the relatively larger particles in the liquid beingfiltered are entangled and trapped in the fibers of the preliminaryfiltering elements 26. These particles may well constitute more thannine-tenths of the total mass of material removed by filtration, andonly the remainder arrives asa deposit on the surface of the primaryelement 24.

In addition to the enormous increase in themass of material that can beaccumulated before cleaning without clogging the filter,

there is also an advantage 1n the cleaning,

- as the preliminary filtering element 26 wi containonly the coarserparticles for the separation of which it is best fitted, and can becleaned for further use more eflicient- 1y, because most of thefinematerial trapped by element 24 will remainon or in the pores of saidelement when the parts are separated. The depth of the material is alsoof importance. It w1ll be apparent that particles covering areas ofdimensions equal to substantially the thickness of the preliminaryfiltering element 26 may lieton the surface of said element withoutpreventing free supply to all points on the primary element 24 of allthe liquid said prima ment can successfully handle. This 1s because therelatively coarse material will permit the liquid passing through itto'flow. laterally, and equalize the pressure on ele ment 24 by passingaround the obstacle.

ele-

The particular unit illustrated operates ings 28 and 30 on the twooutside elements pensive construction, I employ annular fac below,atmosphere within the filteration- 4.0 annular'surface 20. This providesa sub stantially flat supporting surface for the first pad 22. On top ofpad 22.1ies the primary filtering element 24, and on top of that 26 and22 respectively. In the embodiment illustra inFigs. 1 and 4, thesefaomgs eachlie on both sides of the element they I have discovered thatthe amount of material that can be removed by a filtering iobstacleismhasthat disclosed, is out nitely .the reason for this, I believe it iscup 14 to define the filtration chamber.

the preliminary filtering element 26, the priencircle, and will remainin place without 45 mary filtering element being, in this inanypermanent fastemngmeans whatever.

stance, apiece of filter paper, and the pre- The edges of the threeelements 22,24 and liminary filtering element being a pad bf 26 aresuperposed and clamped against supcoarser material, such as .felt, ofrelativeport 16 a-ndflange 20 by the dependingll ly great thickn 32 ofan inverted cup 34 cooperating wit j In the embodiment illustrated inFig. 5

facing 36 is a simple annulus of ordinary flat sheet rubber stitched toelement 26 at 38, and facing 40 issimilarly stitched at 42 to element22. When this construction is employed, lip 32 clamps downon the tratedas connected to overcome the difierence in vacuum than that in the uppercup,

facings and the outer margin of element 24 only, elements 22 and 26being out small enough to terminate inside the lip.

In either construction, a satisfactorily air tight joint is quicklyobtainable by forcing cup 34 firmly into place with clamping screw 44,and, at the same time, the upper cup may be removed and all the partsquickly lifted out for cleaning and replacement.

To facilitate quick removal and replacement of cup 34,1 mount it on ayoke 46, which yoke is pivoted on a support 48 HS- ing from one side ofcup .14, and has a notched end 50 to receive the upper portion of theopposite support 52. Screw 44 controlled by hand wheel 54 enters a boss56 on cup 34, and is held in place in said boss by suitable means, suchas cotter pin 58 riding ing in an annular groove 60. It will be apparentcup 34 can be quickly lifted clear of the upwardly projecting lip 62 ofcup 14, and swung to one side to expose the filtering element.

- Housed under cup 14 between standards 12, is a source of power 64, inthis instance direct connected through coupling 66 with a centrifugal orother suitable pumping means 68. The intake of the pump may be connectedby pipe 7 O to an outlet 72 at thebottom of cup 14, and the outlet inaydeliver material through pipe 74 to any suitable point.

Cup 34 is provided with an inlet connection at 76, which isdiagrammatically illusto a source of supply 78, in this instance, at alower level than the fil tration chamber.

To start operation, with cup 34-removed, cup 14 may be filled withliquid for priming if desired, although itis not necessary. Thefiltration barrier comprising elements 16, 22, 24 and 26, isput inplace, cup 34 placed over the same and firmly pressed down into positionby tightening screw 44. The pump is now started. The initial withdrawalof material from cup 14 will draw the atmospheric air in cup 34 throughthe filtration barrier until a vacuum is created in cup 34 sufficienthead between supply 78 and the chamber. This immediately results in asupply .of liquid being discharged into the chamberthrough inlet 7 6,and this liquid spreads barrier, forming an efiective seal to preventthe withdrawal of more air from cup 34.

Further removal of liquid from cup 14 will expand the small amount ofair already drawn into the lower cup to a much higher and thisdifference in pressure is efi'ectlve to-force the liquid on top of thefiltration barrier downward through it. that as long as the ficient tocompel equal to the'rate of discharge by percolation It will be apparentvacuum in cup 34 1s sufthat by rotation of hand wheel 54 out over thefiltration structural or trussed a flow through inlet 76 I become lessthan the delivery through the filtration barrier, the liquid seal willbe broken, and air from cup 34 will quickly pass through the filtrationbarrier, raising the vacuum in cup a rate that will reestablish andmaintain the liquid seal. The apportionment of the power of source 64 tothe work of drawing ma- 34 to a higher value,.sufii-. ,cient toreestablish a flow through inlet 76 at terial into cup 34'and drawing itthrou 'h the i filtration barrier, ried to precisely fit the conditionsof operation at the time, as muchpower as may be needed being employedto draw the material into the filtration chamber and the balance beingeffective on the filtration barrier itself.

It will be obvious that'in addition to the automatic adjustment ofpressure difierences, this provides an the filtration barrier and thesource of supand another air cushion between the 1- tration-barrier andthe system to which, the liquid is delivered. If either ofthese systemswere so constructed or manipulated that the liquid in them weresubjected to violent changesdn movement so as to hammer the would besubthe filtration barrier jected to none of this hammering.

Lip bottom of which is the peripheral seal for the filtration elements.When the operation is below atmospheric pressure, this trough ispreferably filled with a small quantity of the filtrate. first, anyperipheral leakage that may occur will not fill the system with air; andsecond, any such leakage may be immediately noticed b. the fall of theliquid in the periphera trough, and screw 54 may be tightened to stopit. Similarly, when the operation is above atmospheric pressure, anyleaka e will accumulate" in the trough an affor an indication that thepartsare not clamped together with suificient tightness.

In the larger double filter illustrated in Fig. 6, standards 82supportthe lower cup, which has-a trussed bottom, 84; Bosses 86 supportstandards 88 and 9.0 corresponding to standards 48 and 52 of Fig. 1.Yoke 92 is mounted for the same operation as yoke 46, and'suppoits the u94, also of per cup for lightormation,

ness. F

Between lip 96 on cu cup 94 is clamped the terin stack 'compnsing thecentral honeycom 10,0, supporting diaphragms 102 on both sides of it,

is thus automatical y va 62 defines an annular trough at the 84 and lip98 on air cushion between i This has two advantages;

' substantially identical with diaphragm 16 of Fig. 4, supportmgpadsllfitoutside both diaphragms, primary filtering elements 106"outside both pads, and preliminary filtering elements 108 outside bothprimary filtering elements. Cup 84 has a peripheral lip 110 high enoughto provide a sealing trough for the entire stack.

Hon eycomb 100 comprises an annular rim 112 carrying a net work ofvertical walls 114 and 116. Between their' 'unions with wall 116, walls114 are cut away from one surface of the honeycomb as at 118, andsimilarlybetwecn their junction points walls 116 are cut away from theother face of the honeycomb, as at 120. This provides good mechanicalsupport for both diaphragms 102, and, at the same time, establishespassageways for free. flow of liquidthroughout the honeycomb.

Intake pipe 120 opens in line with a passageway 122 defined by alignedapertures in eripheral edges of all the elements the forming thefiltering stack, aswell as both inside lips 96 and 98. This delivers theincoming fluid both above and below the filtering stack. Oppositepassageway 122 is passageway 124 extending. up only to the honeycomb 100and communicating therewith through radiating passageways 126 in theboss 128. Lip 98 1s undercut throughout, but lip 96 is undercut allexcept the portion housing passageway 124 which is cast solid with thebottom of-the cup, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

It will be apparent, that in addition to all the advantages of thestructure of Fig. 1

that of Fig. 6 has substantially double the filtering capacity for afiltration stack'of the same diameter, with only a negligible increasein size in the outfit as a whole.

Another advantage of my filter which is particularly adapted forfiltering syrups and the like, has to do with the de-aeration of thesolution or syrup.

As is well known to syrup manufacturers,

' bacteria is the cause of fermentation which is responsible formuchloss in syrup manufacture The life and growth of bacteria depends'uponthe supply-of air in the syrup. Obviously, by removing air from thesyrup,

1 this fermentation-causing bacteria can be destroyed.

Now by subjecting'the solution or syrup in my construction to a vacuum,any air therein will be sucked therefrom before the solution is drawnthrough the filter. Also besides destroying bacteria that causesfermentation losses de-aeration of the solution or syrup, makes iteasier 'for the syrup to absorb carbonic acid gas thus eliminatingfoaming. when the syrup is bottled. Of course it is to be understoodthat although I have disclosed my filter as being particularly adaptedfor filtering syrup, it

intended to be defined analogous liqulds. Without further elaboration,theforegoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention, that othersmay, 'by applying curmay be used equally well for filtering other rentknowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions ofservice without eliminating certain features which ma properly besaidoto constitute the essentia items of novelty involved, which itemsare and secured to me by the following I claim 1. The method offiltering by suctio which comprises, enclosing spaces above and below afiltering barrier, filling .the lower claims.

space with liquid and the upper .with gas,

connecting the gas filled space to a liquid supply, and Withdrawingliquid from the liquid filled space to draw gas through the filteringbarrier and generate a vacuum to draw in' liquid from the supply. I p

2. The method of filtering which comprises, enclosing spaces above andbelow a filtering barrier, filling each space partly with liquid andpartly with compressible gas, and generating a pressure difference toprises, enclosing spaces above and below a.

filtering barrier, connecting the upper space with a liquid sourceofsupply, establishing a flow by vwithdrawingmaterial from the lowerspace, keeping said upper'space partly filled with air and partly withliquid, and automatically maintainin space a difierence in head betweenthe space and the'liq'uid supplyionly suflicient to maintain an influxsubstantially equal to the efiluzi through the filtering medium.

5. In combination, a lower cup-like,mem-

ber having an internal annular shoulder, a filter disposed on the saidshoulder, an upper cup-like member disposed on top of the filter, anannular trough intermediate the two cup-like members immediately overthe said shoulder, the said portion ofthe filter resting on the saidshoulder serving as a bottom for the said trough and a liquid seal dis--posed in the-said trough.

- 6. In a filter, a rece tacle, a filtering barrier associatedtherewith, means for establishing a mechanical seal between the barrierand the receptacle, and means for subin said upper merging saidmechanical seal in a liquid to form a liquid seal.

7. In a filter, a container,afilter1ngbarrier associated therewith,

means for estaband container, means defin'ing'a trough associated withthe said seal, 5 ing' a liquid disposed andmeans includin the saidtrough for submerging the mechanical seal in liquid to form a liquidseal.

8. In a suction means connected to the 10 filtering barrier associatefilter, a receptacle,

said receptacle, a

d with the' said suction receptacle, means for clamping the barrier tothe receptacleto establish a mechanical seal therebetween, and means forsubmerging said mechanical seal in a liquid to form a liquid seal,saidliquid seal being open to inspection for detection of leak by thechange in liquid level.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day ofJanuary, 1924.

FRANK B.. LOMAX.

